We have talked a thousand times about how bad the automotive sector is all over the world, but with special incidence in Europe, where we depend a lot on the Chinese technology industry. Stoppages due to COVID They continue to be noticed today in production and manufacturing.
This has made millions of drivers fear for the life of their vehicle. Buying a new car can lead to a wait of more than 6 months from the moment of payment until it is received. And if you have an emergency and you go to the second hand the price to pay is much higher than a couple of years ago.
For all these reasons, what we can advise you is to be careful with the use of your car on a day-to-day basis. And beyond being prudent with the vehicleIdeally, you should follow the five tips and tricks that we leave you below.
Los cars at the moment can withstand, without problems, more than 10 years of intense use. And, if we take care of them, we can extend them to 15 or 20 years. In times of crisis, it is better to save as much as possible. And the cost of a car is very high, either to repair an old one or to buy a new one.
1. Check the tire pressure monthly
Uneven tires put drivers at greater risk of being involved in an accident. They also negatively affect fuel consumption, forcing drivers to spend more than they should.
It’s easy to lose sight of tire pressure because it can drop quickly. In general, tires lose about one PSI per month. So check your tire pressure monthly to make sure it’s still at the right level.
2. Buy the oil recommended by the manufacturer
Oil changes keep the car in perfect condition. If you drive with bad (heavily used) oil, the vehicle is likely to have very serious problems sooner rather than later.
When it’s time to change your oil, it’s tempting to go cheap. And that would be a mistake, since it would unnecessarily compromise the interior -and expensive- components of the vehicle. Although the need to save money is understandable, oil is not the item to save.
Very important: buy the oil recommended by the manufacturer. It will be expensive for sure, but it will keep the internal components as they should. Also remember that oil changes in modern vehicles should be done after 30,000 km.
3. Change the air filters
Air filters provide the essential protection for cars to last as long as possible. This is because the air filters are responsible for keeping dust, sand, and other debris out of the engine. When air filters are full of dirt, they can no longer do their job.
Don’t forget to change your air filters regularly so they can keep your engine safe from debris. Most car air filters need to be changed every 30,000 km as well. Again, not all filters work.
4. Keep the car battery active
Maintaining a car battery primarily requires keeping it active. If possible, avoid leaving it in the garage for too long as the battery can suffer from inactivity, so it will run down (just like a laptop or smartphone battery).
As a minimum, drivers should go for a drive once a week. Going out for a weekly drive is even more important for drivers who live in cold weather areas, as they degrade and unload sooner.
Although it is not possible to drive once a week, there are other options. In that case, certain equipment can be used to keep the battery healthy. Get a battery conditioner and use it on the battery to prevent it from rapidly deteriorating.
5. Do not leave the air conditioning without turning on many months
A car’s air conditioning can present problems if it sits idle for too long. If possible, it should be used daily. Even if it’s cold outside the air conditioning should work for a few minutes a day.
All car air conditioning systems should be regularly inspected by a professional.l, since it is common for them to leak over time. The worst thing that can happen to you is that the pump that sets the circuit in motion breaks, which is the most expensive change. The cheapest thing will be to recharge the gas, this is very common.
With all these tips, your car will age wonderfully and you will be avoiding unnecessary breakdowns. It already depends on how good your car leaves the factory to last 12 or 22 years without problems.
